Always
by SonChihan
Summary: Movie-verse. An alternate ending to Revenge of the Fallen (or extended cut). Ironhide and Chromia have been friends for centureies, but he has deeper feelings for her he has never been able to reveal. Now, the femmebot Ironhide secretly loves is in danger, and he has to find her before it's too late. Ironhide/Chromia, Bumblebee/Arcee
1. Part 1

This is part one of 2 in the alternate ending I came up with a while back for Revenge of the Fallen. I loved Revenge of the Fallen; wouldn't change anything about it, but I just thought it was missing a couple of things. In this one, Ironhide and Chromia have only been friends for as long as the've known each other, like the description on the back of Chromia's action figure says. Warning: if you think the ending to this is too sad, make sure to read the next part before you get all mad at me and rage. Transformers and all its characters do not belong to me.

Always

Part 1: Giza, Egypt; 5 minutes post-battle

The Autobots gathered around their newly-resurrected leader as he shrugged off his excess armor, a slight limp in his gait from his fight with Megatron and the Fallen. There was no sign of the Decepticon leader anywhere, nor was there of his second-in-command, Starscream. The Fallen's smoking remains lay slumped pathetically against an old Egyptian archway, his face torn away and a gaping hole in his chest. With the battle for the Matrix finally over, everyone, human and Autobot alike, seemed to deflate slightly, a weight lifted from their shoulders. Yet there was a sadness that lingered, like it did in the wake of any major battle. The human soldiers took the time to count their dead and track down every living member of their squads. The Witwicky family plus Mikaela stood together off to the side, reveling in their status of being alive. When Leo Spitz and Agent Simmons climbed the crest of a dune, the Autobot Twins following behind, they too joined the small congregation of people who had been brought together by fantastic circumstances. The Autobots let the humans move their way, while they gathered in a close semicircle around Optimus Prime.

Optimus gazed down at his assembled soldiers, his recently re-awakened spark glowing with pride. The Autobots certainly bore the marks and hurts of the recent battle, but they were all whole and alive. His optics moved from one face to another, reinstating his memories and affections for the comrades he had fought with for so many years. Expressions of joy, relief, and awe passed over all of their faces, as though they still couldn't believe their great leader had been returned to them. At first, no words were exchanged; they simply wanted to be in each other's presence, as a whole group. Then, surprisingly, the four youngest soldiers, Bumblebee, Jolt, Mudflap and Skids, surged forward and embraced Optimus around his legs and waist, none of them coming up to his chest. The Autobot leader let out a gasp of surprise, but he did not shoo them away as he might have done on a normal occasion. He knew what he was to his soldiers, and they knew what they were to him. The young ones still needed a guide, someone to follow, to make them feel secure, and his death had shattered them just as much as it had the veteran soldiers. So he let the four of them embrace him, just this once. He looked down at them, and they turned their faces up to him. He was surprised to see shining energon tears gathering in their optics, and actually escaping Bumblebee's. Optimus smiled fondly down at them and put hand on Bumblebee's and Jolt's heads for a moment before doing the same to the Twins.

"There, there," he said, his voice soft and kind. "No need to weep. All is well, young ones." The four of them nodded, and at Bumblebee's urging, they finally stepped away, smiles slowly spreading across their faces. That was when the veteran warriors finally felt comfortable enough to step forward and offer their own greetings. Ironhide and Ratchet wordlessly offered their arms to their leader, which he eagerly gripped firmly in friendship. Ratchet's hand lingered on Optimus's arm for a moment, his face pained and relieved.

"Dammit Prime," Ironhide said gruffly, giving Optimus a good-natured punch with his other fist. "You ever scare us like that again I'll…do something to you." Optimus smiled. "I'll try to remember that, old friend." Sideswipe held up a fist, a crooked grin on his facial plates.

"I'm not mad," he said, "just glad as hell. Don't do that again, please." Optimus touched his fist to Sideswipe's, knowing he didn't need to say anything in reply.

Optimus looked around at his Autobots again, his spark bursting with pride and contentment. Their semicircle had become a cluster, everyone pressing in close as though terrified that not having someone's arms or shoulder touching their own would be devastating. Even Will Lennox, who watched the Autobots from afar, had never seen a group of comrades-in-arms who seemed so close to one another.

"Autobots," Optimus said, in his deep, awesome gravely bass. "We have won a great battle today, with the help of our human allies, and I must say…" For a moment, he lost words for what he was feeling. His optics actually started to water, the realization of what had just happened crashing around him like a rust wave. A small touch on his hand made him look down to see Bumblebee reaching his hand up to cover the back of his. Since the young scout was still unable to talk normally, this was his way to offer support. Optimus sighed and placed a hand on the scout's shoulder, smiling gratefully. "I must say," he began again, more strength in his words. "I could not ask for greater soldiers, or friends. You honor me by standing by me, and the humans. Friends, I thank you, and I am grateful to be with you all again." As one, the Autobots placed closed fists over their sparks, their salute of loyalty and friendship.

"'Til all are one," they intoned, their different voices blending into one metallic chorus. Optimus copied their salute, a smile on his weary face plates.

"'Til all are one," he repeated.

Optimus surveyed the faces turned up to him once more, when he noticed something odd. When he looked at his gathered comrades, he only saw male faces; the masculine mech faces of his Autobot brothers. He did not, however, see any female faces. He furrowed his metal brow. Arcee, Chromia, and Flareup; they were nowhere to be seen. "Autobots," he asked, and immediately they noticed the change in his voice.

"What's wrong Optimus?" asked Sideswipe. Their commander's face grew more concerned.

"Where are the Sisters?" he asked, his voice suddenly anxious. The Autobots' smiles faded. They looked around, and after a moment, they realized the truth: Arcee, Chromia, nor Flareup were among them. The femmebots were gone.

"Who saw them last?" Jolt asked. Sideswipe thought it over, and he suddenly realized something, and turned to face Ironhide.

"Ironhide, you were with them last, right?" The weapon specialist nodded, remembering driving into the thick of battle amongst the ruins, the three motorcycle femmebots flanking him. Arcee had been at his left, Chromia at his right, Flareup at his back. A small squad of four NEST soldiers rode in his truck bed.

"Yes, we went in towards the pillars to try and find Sam and Mikaela. We were ambushed when we found them, so we had to hold off the 'Cons while the kids got away," he said.

"And then what happened?" asked Ratchet. "I only saw you make it out." Ironhide thought back on what had transpired when the Decepticons attacked; everything happened so fast after that.

"I…We held them off for a moment," he said lowly, wracking his memory circuits for more detail. "I think…I think Arcee and Flareup where hit when they showed up." He closed his optics in concentration. Why was it so hard for him to remember?

"Think, Ironhide," urged Optimus, moving over to stand by his second-in-command. "Where were they when the Decepticons attacked? Where were they when you retreated?" Ironhide shook his head, willing his CPU to let him access the information. Suddenly, he stumbled upon some sort of image code, and the memories flooded his mind.

He fired several blasts from his cannons at the young Decepticons flanking the Contructicon Long Haul. He heard a NEST soldier to his left cry out a warning, then a shriek from Flareup somewhere behind him. There was a revving of an engine, a torpedo shot passed his face, and the crack of shattering metal sounded from his left blind spot. Abreast to his left shoulder, Chromia crouched behind a stone wall, poking a gun around to try and get a clear shot at the enemy. Ironhide set his jaw, then looked over his left shoulder and shouted to the two young humans sheltering in a crumbling shack.

"Sam!" he cried, "Get to the pillars!" He watched them just long enough to make sure the two of them got out of range, then turned back to barrage the Decepticons with another volley of missiles.

He didn't know how long they fought, nor did he realize until Long Haul backed off to pursue other targets, who exactly was still fighting with him. When he looked around he saw, with a heavy spark, that two out of five of his NEST squad were lying dead in the sand. He saw pink Arcee and purple Flareup, bleeding and battered, struggling to get up. He saw blue Chromia still holding her own behind the stone wall. She was a little scuffed up but in one piece. This observation took some of the weight off of his spark; at least she was okay. He opened his mouth to ask her what she thought they should do next, when a frantic voice on the com interrupted him.

"_Prepare for bomb-drop: air force firestorm coming in hot._" Ironhide's spark clenched in sudden fear: a bomb drop? Suddenly, a frantic Major Lennox radioed in.

"We got F-22s coming in for a firebomb. Get out of there now!" Ironhide locked optics with Chromia, and she nodded to indicate she had received the same message. Arcee and Flareup finally managed to pull themselves to their wheels when the bombs dropped.

"RUN!" Ironhide choked out the cry as he pelted towards the NEST team's stationed position beyond the pillars. The air became filled with dust, debris, fire, and the deafening booms of the preliminary bombs as they were dropped up the length of the ruins. Ironhide ran as fast as he can, desperate to outrun the inferno. He knew this was just the first wave of bombs, and that the real ones would fall right on him if he didn't get a move on. A huge Decepticon bullet flew in out of nowhere and blasted Ironhide right in the chest, but he didn't stop running. Fortunately, the bullet missed his spark chamber; unfortunately, it still winded him and he started to leak a lot of energon. He passed out of a cloud of dust, catching sight of Lennox, Epps, Sam, and Mikaela as they too sprinted desperately for safety. He jumped and rolled out of range just as the final bombs dropped.

Ironhide opened his optics, barely noticing the rest of the Autobots staring expectantly at him. He couldn't believe it; during all those terrifying seconds as he ran from the bombs, he had never noticed that the Sisters were not beside him.

"Ironhide?" Optimus called his lieutenant's name softly, bringing him out of his reverie without shocking him. By the time Ironhide had finished with his flashback, the NEST soldiers had gathered near the Autobots to find out what was wrong. Ironhide looked up at his commander in wide-eyed fear.

"I…I don't think they made it out," he choked, his optics slowly moving to the ruins beyond their group. "Arcee, Chromia, Flareup; the last time I saw them was just before the bombs dropped." He gave a shudder. "After that…I lost track of them." He then realized that none of the Sisters' energy signatures appeared on his radar. Chromia's wasn't there.

At Ironhide's words, Bumblebee let out a high-pitched _vreep_ of alarm, looking frantically towards the ruins. Sideswipe's optics dilated in distress, and he too cast his gaze towards the ruins.

"What's wrong?" Major Lennox asked, stepping forward to enter their group. From his place with his parent, girlfriend and friend, Sam heard Bumblebee's keen and quickly jogged over, wondering what could possibly be going wrong now. Optimus kept his composure very well.

"The Sisters are missing," he said evenly, addressing everyone who was listening. "We need to make a search of the ruins before we can leave."

"Can you pick up their signals?" asked Master Sergeant Epps, standing beside Lennox. Optimus's brow furrowed worriedly.

"We…don't know," he said, his voice taking on the faintest of trembles. "We lost contact with them during the bombing." He turned his attention back to the Autobots. "Autobots, we need to conduct a thorough search of the battleground…and be prepared for whatever we may find."

Ironhide, Bumblebee, and Sideswipe were already heading towards the ruins before Optimus finished his order.

Bumblebee picked his way over the debris of stone and brick like a vole looking for an insect, his round optics searching tirelessly for any sign of life. After a short time he tentatively tried to vocalize, using his radio as a boost for his wrecked voice box.

"_Aaarrr…ceeee_?" he called. The effort to speak normally put a horrible strain on his vocal processor, but he didn't care. He kept calling for her, coughing every few tries as he wandered through the ruins. Over his own calls he could hear Sideswipe's cries to Flareup, although the silver Autobot's seemed more desperate than his. Bumblebee couldn't blame Sideswipe for being worried; it was no secret the two warriors had been bonded together for almost the whole two years their wave had been on Earth. Sideswipe had started courting the pretty purple femmebot since the moment he saw her, and it hadn't taken Flareup long to fall for the sleek mech's charm and winning personality. Bumblebee on the other hand had known Arcee since the latter half of Great War, and he had never been able to pluck up the courage to actually tell her how he felt about her. She was beautiful, kind, and courageous; he'd had a crush on her since she found him on Tyger Pax, broken and voiceless after launching the AllSpark into space. Arcee took him to the medical base to be treated, and never left his side until he fully recovered. She was one of the few bots who seemed to understand him without his vocalizing code; like she could sense what he was about to say before he translated it into code. At first, he'd simply had a crush on her, which was appropriate since she was a few cycles older than him, but as they worked together and fought together, Bumblebee realized he had true feelings for her. When Arcee had showed up on Earth with her sisters in tow, Bumblebee had been more elated than he had been in a long time, but he was still too shy to tell her about his feelings. If something had happened to her….Bumblebee shook the dark thought away, and continued his search.

Bumblebee halted his calling for a moment as a fit of metallic coughs shook his body. He doubled over, trying to catch his breath, when a weak voice sounded somewhere to his right.

"Bee…is that you?" Bumblebee silenced his coughing immediately, ignoring the pain in his throat. He glanced wildly around, and saw a flash of pink enter his vision from the right. He turned and nearly lost his balance in surprise. Arcee was looking up at him just a few feet away, smiling weakly, her lower half pinned underneath a dead Decepticon drone. Bumblebee let out an excited tweet and ran to her side, kneeling down and checking her over.

"Don't worry," she said, her voice exhausted and pained, "it's nothing major; just a broken axel. I was lucky this guy was dead before the bombs dropped. Dead weight makes for good cover. I think my axel tore as I was diving down under him." Bumblebee made a couple of whirring noise and some concerned squeaks. Arcee's smile fell. "I don't know where the others are. I lost track of Flareup back in the pillars, and I didn't see Chromia at all." Bumblebee nodded, then turned his attention to the body that lay across her back. The Decepticon was young, and didn't even have an alternate form yet. It wasn't difficult for Bumblebee to hoist the corpse off of Arcee and toss it to the side. Arcee let out a gasp of pain and relief as the weight was removed from her crippled body. She did not try to roll to her wheels. "I can't move my column," she said, clearly upset about it. "With my axel broken, I can't get any signals to my motor or wheels. You're going to have to get help, Bee." Bumblebee looked at her, feeling a little hurt that she doubted him. She returned his gaze, a questioning look in her eyes. "What?" she asked. Bumblebee suddenly felt the need to impress her, and with a grunt, he scooped the femmebot into his arms in a single swift movement. Arcee gasped, completely caught off guard. She winced at the pain in her column, grasping the front of Bumblebee's chest plate for support. Bumblebee could have easily slung her over his shoulders in a fireman's carry, but instead he gently cupped her back with his left hand, taking weight off of the broken axel in her mid-column. His right arm cradled her hip joint containing her wheels and motor in the cycle body, which hung lifelessly without signals from her upper body. Arcee looked up and met Bumblebee's bright blue optics. He smiled down at her, and in such close proximity, Arcee realized just how handsome the young scout was. Her spark fluttered. "I…Thanks, Bee," she said softly. Bumblebee winked, then quickly headed out of the ruins and towards the others.

Ironhide frantically drove through the ruins in vehicle mode, his sensors alert to pick up any sign of energon life. When he reached the spot near the pillars where he had last seen the Sisters, he stomped on the breaks and transformed into robot mode. He looked around, his old optics scanning every inch of stone, metal, and sand with a variety of settings. His spark pounded with fear and anxiety. Where was she? Ironhide hesitated, and then he started to call for her.

"Chromia! Chromia, where are you?" He was surprised and almost embarrassed at how desperate he sounded. But he didn't really care. Chromia had to be around there somewhere. She had to be…

Ironhide and Chromia had always been good friends, ever since the Great War started. She had told him on more than one occasion that she considered him her best friend and one of the few bots besides her sisters she truly trusted with her life. Her trust and friendship meant the world to Ironhide, but for many centuries, the more time he spent with her, the more attached he grew to her, and the deeper his feelings for her became. She was ruthless in battle, a genius strategist, a natural at weapons handling, and, to Ironhide, she was the most beautiful femmebot to be birthed by the AllSpark. The time they had parted ways when the search for the AllSpark began had been tearful and emotional. Chromia had assured him that he would always be her first choice of wingman, and that she would miss him terribly. For some reason the tough, battle-scarred Ironhide couldn't find the courage to tell Chromia that he wanted to be more than a friend to her. He was shipping out anyway, so he didn't really see a logical reason to. But, then they had reunited on Earth, centuries later, and Ironhide felt his old feelings for her flare to life. She was thrilled to see him, of course, saying that she had missed her old partner like nothing else, but to her he was still just a best friend; someone to watch her back and defend her blind spot, not someone to share a bond with. But, that didn't stop Ironhide from feeling the way he did about her, and as the next two years passed he began to realize what exactly those feelings were. Every time he saw her, either in action or in passive, he knew: he loved her with his entire spark. He wanted her. He needed her. He wanted to be bonded to her, and only to her. He couldn't tell her this though; for one his reputation and pride held him back from showing any kind of vulnerable emotion. But, the real reason he couldn't tell her was he was terrified of how she would react. He was sure he could live with simple rejection, but if it affected their friendship, he wasn't sure he could bear it. So, Ironhide kept his love for Chromia a secret, and now as he searched for her among the wreckage from the battle, he regretted that decision with every wire in his being. He lifted huge slabs of stone and shoved aside the corpses of slaughtered Decepticons, all the while thinking of what it would do to him to find that she'd perished before he could tell her that he loved her. A stinging sensation started to form in his optics, but he would not allow himself to feel such weakness. She had to be alive….she just had to be.

Ironhide wandered the ruins for nearly half an hour, calling for Chromia until his vocal processor gave out. Just when he was about to collapse from defeat, a small moan penetrated his raging thoughts. Ironhide froze where he stood, listening intently. There was a whimper, somewhere near his left foot, and when he looked down his optics caught on something that made his spark turn over. A small, delicate, three-fingered black metal hand lay twitching underneath a toppled stone column. Ironhide's optics followed the hand, and saw a splash of blue pinned under the middle stones of the column. A gasp of both relief and fear escaped the Autobot's open mouth, and he quickly hurried to move the stones aside. It was slow work; he was surprised at how much the stones weighed, but eventually he removed all of them, to find Chromia lying in a twisted heap on the sand beneath. Her optics were half-closed, the light inside them dim and flickering. Her chest plate was caved in, and thick glowing energon leaked in large rivulets down the sides of her torso. Her left arm was still transformed into a cannon, but it was badly crushed in several places, and the support column, made of the better body of her motorcycle form leading to her single wheel, was twisted in an awkward angle. Chromia let out a weak moan and tried to turn her head to the direction of her rescuer, but didn't have the strength to do so. Ironhide knelt at her side and gently took her up into his strong arms, one hand supporting her head so she could see him.

"Chromia," he called to her, his deep voice unnaturally soft and shaky. "Chromia, can you hear me?" The femmebot's optics flickered, and she moaned again before finally turning her face towards him. Her optics glowed in recognition as they met his.

"'Hide?" she asked, her voice frighteningly weak. "Is that you?" Ironhide sighed worriedly and drew her as close to him as he dared without hurting her.

"It's me, Chromia, I'm here," he said softly, his optics never leaving her face. She smiled as much as she could, then gasped and coughed up a glob of energon.

"Can't…breathe," she wheezed, her optics drooping slightly. "Where are…Arcee…Flareup?"

"We're looking for them," said Ironhide. She sighed and relaxed in his grip. He stood up slowly, careful not to jostle her. She still winced and coughed up some more energon. He made a worried noise, and quickly turned and headed back through the ruins. He walked as fast as he could without causing Chromia too much discomfort. As he walked, Ironhide cast nervous glances down at her. She was in bad shape, with her chest crushed and her lower body all twisted and torn. He feared her spark chamber had been breached, judging by the energon constantly seeping from her caved-in chest plates. He had to get her to Ratchet and Jolt before she lost too much energon. Ironhide wrenched his optics forward and spurred himself into a jog, picking over the rubble and dead bodies with as much care as possible. A light touch on his own chest plate made him look down again, though. Chromia was smiling up at him, her right hand laid just below the gaping wound under his own spark chamber.

"Thanks…thanks for coming back for me, Ace," she rasped, leaning her head against his arm. Ironhide's spark lurched at that name. 'Ace' was her friendly nickname for him, ever since they first became partners on the battlefield. She had called him that when she first arrived on Earth with her sisters, bringing back all sorts of memories. He held her a little closer, hoping he wasn't hurting her.

"Anytime 'Mia," he said, silently praying he wasn't too late to save this femmebot he secretly loved.

The Autobots and humans gathered around in an anxious semicircle as the search party returned from the ruins, carrying the injured femmebots. Out of the three of them, Flareup was in the best condition, sporting nothing more than a few bullet wounds in the torso, a dislocated rotator cuff, and a broken knee joint. Sideswipe supported her with one arm around her middle, not letting her wheel touch the ground. When Ratchet assessed her with a quick scan of his optics, he bypassed her to let Jolt take charge of her care. Sideswipe and Flareup where quickly followed by Bumblebee carrying Arcee. Arcee was banged up all over, and she also had a bullet wound in her chest, thankfully to the right of her spark chamber. However, it was her broken axel that concerned Ratchet the most, but after a quick assessment he determined that the break was clean and could easily be repaired. He dictated Jolt to taking care of Flareup while he set to work on Arcee. The others looked on concernedly, especially Sam and Mikaela. The two young humans stood by Bumblebee while he watched Ratchet work to repair the pink femmebot.

"It's going to be okay, big guy," Sam said, looking up at his friend's worried face. Bumblebee had confided in Sam his feelings for Arcee in the past year, and, having a girlfriend himself, Sam knew how the young Autobot must be feeling.

Optimus Prime watched the ruins intently for the rest of the search party to return. So far, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Jolt and the Twins had been the only ones to make it back. Ironhide had yet to return. Worry gnawed at his mind, but he had confidence in his second-in-command. He was about to radio the weapons specialist for a report, when one of the NEST soldiers on lookout whistled a signal, and pointed toward the fallen pillars. Everyone looked up. Ironhide was climbing the crest of a dune towards them, the third sister, Chromia, in his arms.

"Ratchet." Optimus put a hand on the medic's shoulder and pointed towards the approaching Autobot. Ratchet looked up from Arcee and a worried gasp escaped his throat.

"By the AllSpark," he whispered. The crowd of gathered Autobots and humans parted to let Ironhide through as the weapon specialist desperately sprinted across the last couple of yards to reach the two medical bots. With a hurried apology to Arcee, Ratchet met Ironhide in the middle of the group as the black mech laid Chromia on the ground with the utmost care.

"She's hurt," Ironhide said shakily, one hand supporting Chromia's head, "badly. She needs help fast, Ratchet." Ratchet nodded and looked Chromia over, his optics switching to scanning mode. Jolt peeked over the chief medic's shoulder. Optimus gave the order for everyone to back a few feet away. Ratchet's face darkened in a grimace, which deepened the closer he looked at Chromia's wounds. The damage to her chest was severe, her spark chamber having been breached and a vital energon reservoir being punctured. The concussive damage on her lower support column and leg were serious, but it was the breach in her spark chamber that worried Ratchet the most. He could see the weakly flickering light that was the femmebot's life source, its luster dulled and its pulse faint. The exposure to the outside atmosphere had drained it greatly, so much, in fact, that the medic wasn't sure if it could support the energy needed for a repair. Ratchet sat back on his knees, thinking about what lay before him. Flareup's bullet wounds and broken joints: those were easy, repairable in less than fifteen minutes. Arcee's broken axel: it might take an hour to do it but that was definitely fixable. But Chromia's breached spark chamber…If he had more time maybe, or access to some kind of energy boost… Ratchet looked dejectedly up at Ironhide. The weapon specialist balked, his brow plates furrowing.

"What?" he asked. He didn't like the look on Ratchet's face at all. Ratchet shook his head and looked back up at Optimus.

"I don't think…I don't think I can fix her," he said solemnly. Any talk that was being exchanged ceased at his words. Everyone, human and Autobot alike, stared at the medic in shock. Optimus hung his head, his optics closed.

"…I see," he said quietly. Across from Ratchet, Ironhide made a sound that resembled someone choking on a hard object.

"What?" he asked again, his voice breathless. Ratchet shook his head again.

"I'm sorry," he said shakily. "The damage is too severe. Her spark chamber was breached and its energy has been drained, and her main energon reservoir was punctured. It's too late…if I had gotten to her sooner, maybe…" He looked down dejectedly at poor Chromia. "There's nothing I can do. I'm afraid…she'd beyond help."

Arcee let out a high-pitched keen and dissolved into a fit of sobs where she lay, covering her optics with her hands. Bumblebee instantly moved to her side and gathered her upper body into his arms, one hand comfortingly placed on the back of her head. He wasn't entirely sure why he had acted so quickly; normally shyness would have prevented him from being so bold, but this time he didn't care. Arcee needed comforting, and he would give it to her. Across the semicircle, Flareup nearly collapsed from sorrow, but Sideswipe was there to hold her up, holding her close to his side. The rest of the Autobots felt sorrow descend upon them, and one by one their heads fell into bows, some letting their tears rise, others swallowing them down. Optimus put his thumb and index finger to his brow, his shoulders sagging. He felt horrible anguish at such a loss; he had lost many soldiers in battle before, but never had he lost a female under his command. The fairer form of their species was so rare these days that the three Sisters were precious comrades to all of the Earth Autobots. To lose one of the three felt worse than losing a whole battalion of soldiers back on Cybertron. For a horrible moment, Optimus felt that he had failed his people.

Ironhide stared at Ratchet. At first, all he felt was shock; he hadn't heard words like that from the medic since the Great War. Ratchet never lost a patient. The shock was soon replaced by anger, which quickly boiled to rage. Ironhide's expression shifted from blank to furious.

"Don't you dare say that!" the veteran Autobot yelled, reaching over and grabbing the front of Ratchet's gated grill plate. The medic's optics widened, but he didn't really feel any surprise at Ironhide's reaction.

"I'm sorry," he said, as evenly as he could, "but there's nothing I can do. It would be pointless to try anything." Ironhide let out a feral, metallic growl.

"Shut up," he snarled, giving Ratchet a shake. "Shut up! How dare you just give up on her?! You've fixed worse injuries before, so try harder!" Ratchet sighed and placed a hand on his friend's clenched fist.

"I'm sorry, Ironhide," he said sadly. "I know it's hard, but trying to repair an injury like this would only make her suffer more. She's lost too much energon, and her spark is failing rapidly. It's just too far gone. I'm sorry." Ironhide roared again and shoved Ratchet away, covering his audios with his hands. His rage was quickly losing its momentum and strength, and he could slowly feel himself giving in to the sorrow that had threatened to envelop him the moment he realized he had left the Sisters behind.

"This can't happen," he said to himself, his voice shaking. "It can't. It's not…not like this!" He breathed in heavily, for a moment forgetting there were others watching him. She couldn't die. Chromia couldn't die. He'd known her for so many centuries. He'd fought with her; he'd laughed with her; he'd comforted her when Optimus died, and she'd comforted him. He loved her; he wanted to bond to her, to attach himself wholly to her, and he'd never even told her. A small hand touched Ironhide's knee, drawing him out of his panic. He opened his optics to see Chromia smile weakly up at him, energon leaking steadily from her mouth. Her exposed spark was fading fast, growing dimmer and dimmer with each passing moment. Ironhide felt his strength leave him as he gazed into her flickering optics.

"It's…okay, Ironhide," she said softly, barely having any breath to speak with. "I'm not scared…this is how we said we wanted to go, right? We wanted to die in battle…fighting with our comrades." Ironhide felt as though his spark was dimming along with hers. He took her delicate three-fingered hand in his, his optics threatening to flood.

"Chromia," he gasped, not at all surprised at how weak his voice sounded, "I—"

"Don't…worry, Ace," Chromia gasped, squeezing his hand with hardly any strength at all. "I'll see you…again…'Til all…" But she couldn't finish the vow. With a shudder, Chromia's spark gave one last flicker, and extinguished with a sigh. Her eyes grew dark, and her hand went limp.

Note: The Bumblebee/Arcee pairing is my thing. I think of Bumblebee as a young one, but like a teenager. Hurry, read the rest before you're overcome with greif!


	2. Part 2

Part 2

Ironhide stared down at Chromia's lifeless shell, dumbfounded. She was gone…her life had been extinguished, right before his optics. She couldn't be dead, it was impossible. He loved her; he loved her and he hadn't told her yet. She couldn't be gone…but she was…gone. Ironhide let out a harsh breath that caught in his throat. He was only dimply aware of the sounds of weeping coming from Chromia's sisters, Arcee and Flareup. Some of the other Autobots were weeping as well, though not as loudly. Ironhide slowly tilted his head back, back, all the way up until he saw the blue sky above him, a few clouds rolling by as though the worst thing imaginable hadn't just taken place below them. The Autobot's mouth fell open, but at first no sound came out. No sound seemed suitable to describe what he felt. Then…starting slowly and quietly at first then picking up volume and power, Ironhide let out a horrible, metallic, primal howl that echoed out from the ruins across the desert. Anyone within one hundred miles heard it, though only those close by knew where it came from. The sound the Autobot made was absolutely heart wrenching to everyone around him, human and robot alike. Many looked away. Sam and Mikaela looked at each other, tears running down both their cheeks. Ironhide howled exactly like he had when he, Ratchet and Sideswipe had discovered Optimus's body, only this howl was longer and more filled with spark-break. Ironhide howled so long and hard his voice transmitter finally gave out. His howl ended in an abrupt clash of static, and he dissolved into coughs. Ironhide doubled over, coughing almost as hard as Bumblebee would if he strained his voice. He coughed so hard he didn't notice the energon tears falling freely down his metal face.

"Chromia…" he wheezed, his voice thick with static. He collapsed onto his hands and knees, shuddering under the weight of his sorrow. No one could look at him; it felt like they were intruding on his grief. Bumblebee laid his head against Arcee's, trying to shut out his friend's grief for his other friend's. Optimus, however, couldn't look away. His old friend's distress was enough to make his own spark break. He closed his optics, a single energon tear escaping from beneath their shutters. This wasn't right. None of this was right; the Decepticons had lost, but they had still caused pain. He couldn't let it happen; he couldn't let this tragedy win. A thought crossed his mind, one that slowly became an idea he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of sooner.

"No," he said, his voice stronger than he expected it to be. Everyone looked up at him, except for Ironhide. Optimus raised his head, and cast his gaze over to the pyramids, specifically to the damaged one that housed the destroyed star harvester. "This will not be." he said. At first, no one was sure what he was talking about. Perhaps he was in slight denial, since this was the first femmebot casualty he had witnessed since the war started. But then, Optimus did something that surprised all of them. The Autobot leader raised his arm and opened his palm in the direction of the damaged third pyramid, his optics and face set hard in concentration.

"What are you doing Optimus?" asked Sam. The Autobot leader did not look at him, but he did reply.

"I am a Prime," he said seriously. "It is my duty to protect my soldiers, and use whatever power I have to execute that duty." Almost as soon as he'd said this, a huge rumbling sounded from the direction of the pyramid, followed by a series of violent cracks that built from the bottom of the pyramid all the way up to the top. With a crack that could have been teeth breaking, something small and glowing shot out of the top of the damaged pyramid. The object flew in a high arc, and then came down like a missile to hand in Optimus's open palm. The gathered group started, and stared. The Matrix of Leadership floated inches above his palm.

"I thought that the Matrix was destroyed when you destroyed the harvester," said Jolt in astonishment. Optimus held the Matrix suspended between his hands, his face solemn, and approached Chromia's body. Ratchet moved aside to let his leader kneel down next to the dead femmebot. Ironhide heard the weight shift, and looked up, his face plates soaked with energon tears. His optics widened when he saw the Matrix

"What…?" He coughed when he tried to ask the question, and Optimus held up a hand for silence. Ironhide closed his mouth. Optimus slowly extended the hand the Matrix was suspended above over Chromia's chest, and turned it palm-down. The Matrix hovered between the Prime's hand and the femmebot's corpse.

"The Matrix of Leadership restored my spark," said Optimus, "and gave me new life. If it can restore life to an Autobot after being deceased for four days, it must restore life to an Autobot who has only just left us." His facial plates contorted in an angry snarl. "This is a price of victory I am not willing to pay." With that, the Autobot leader thrust the Matrix into Chromia's damaged chest.

The femmebot's back arched as magnificent energy coursed through her damaged body. Sparks of energy raced up and down her frame, injuries knitting and healing with each passing volt. Her lower half untwisted itself and her single wheel popped back into place. Metal undented, gears re-meshed, and wires reconnected wherever the divine energy of the Matrix touched them. A blinding light flashed in Chromia's chest, and the gaping wound above her spark chamber morphed and re-sealed like the tape of a broken bottle played in reverse. Her optics suddenly re-lit, and a gasp escaped from her mouth plates.

Chromia sat up, breathing heavily. The gathered crowd gasped in surprise, and then, slowly, cheers rang out at the sight of the newly revived femmebot. Flareup laughed in delight and limp-rolled over to her sister, crushing her in a one-armed hug. Arcee laughed hysterically, hugging Bumblebee since she couldn't move to her sister. Bumblebee's optics widened, and steam involuntarily escaped from his exhaust ports. The humans clapped, tears replaced with cheers of appreciation and laughs. Optimus stood up, placing the Matrix inside his spark chamber.

"Welcome back, Chromia," he said. Chromia looked up at her leader, still wrapped in Flareup's embrace. There were energon tears in her optics. She couldn't quite find words for what she was feeling, so she simply nodded, and put a fist to her chest. The Autobots gathered close together once more, careful not to press too close to the injured Arcee and Flareup. The humans, all smiling, stepped back to give their allies some room. At Jolt's urging, Ironhide stood up, his face blank, but his optics full of emotion. He never removed is optics from her face as the Autobots stood reveling in their closeness and togetherness.

Atlantic Ocean, 6:30 pm: Deck of USS John C. Thinness Aircraft Carrier

Ironhide leaned against the base of the command tower in the center of the aircraft carrier, watching the sun sink below the horizon. He glanced over towards the bow deck, where Sam Witwicky and Optimus Prime stood side by side, standing in identical positions, hands on their hips, looking off into the distance. He wondered what they were talking about; probably post-battle thanks and friendly exchanges. Ironhide chuckled to himself. Never in a millennium would he have guessed that the great Optimus Prime would have a soft spot for such an unlikely life form. But, then again, Optimus was that kind of Autobot. Ironhide was more surprised that he had such a soft spot for the young human, as well for other humans he now considered friends.

'_Sam's not so bad, for a punk_,' he thought to himself. He probably would never be able to admit how grateful he was to the young human for bringing his leader back to life, and for discovering the Matrix in the first place…Ironhide's optics roved over to the starboard deck, where the three Sisters stood watching the sea with Bumblebee and Sideswipe. Sideswipe had one arm around Flareup's shoulders, as he'd had since her repairs were finished. Bumblebee stood a little ways away from Arcee, but Ironhide could tell how much the young Autobot wanted to be closer to her. He chuckled; Bumblebee in love, now that was something even he never expected to see happen, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to accept it yet. It would only mean his and Optimus's young charge was growing up. True, Arcee was older than him by at least five cycles, but age never really was an issue when it came to Cybertronian love. Ironhide's optics fell on Chromia. He still couldn't believe that she was alive, fully healed and all. When her spark had extinguished, he'd felt as if his own had faded with it. Never had he felt such pain, such loss, over the death of a comrade. But then again, Chromia was no ordinary comrade. Ironhide guessed that he hadn't really fully understood the depth of his love for the blue femmebot until she was gone. Now that she was back, he knew he couldn't hold back the feelings any longer. The thought of her never knowing how much he loved her was too painful to bear again. He knew what he had to do…he just needed the courage to do it.

Ironhide sighed, and uncrossed his arms, taking his weight off of the tower and back onto his feet. Well, he'd have to get it over with sometime; no time like the present. The entire Autobot team just happened to be on the deck at the same time, but hey, who cared? Letting out a snort, Ironhide stomped over to where his five comrades stood, steeling himself for the worst. When he reached them, he stopped a few feet behind Chromia. His spark started to pound, more so than it would even before a battle. He swallowed, almost tasting rust in his mouth.

"Chromia," he said quietly. The blue femmebot pivoted on her wheel and turned to face him. She grinned broadly when she saw who it was.

"Hey, Ace," she said, rolling forward a bit to stand close to him. She reached out and took his hand, sending tingling signals up his arm to his rapidly warming face. "I just want to say thanks for coming back for me," she said, smiling sweetly up at him. "You really came through for me, partner." Ironhide smiled slightly, his spark burning. She seemed to notice his muted demeanor, because she tilted her head in curiosity. "Something wrong?" she asked. Ironhide shook his head, then jerked if over towards the other side of the ship.

"Can we talk for a moment?" he asked, trying to keep his voice from trembling. Chromia nodded, and followed him across the wide deck to the port side, her engine revving slightly. Arcee and Bumblebee watched their progress, and glanced curiously at each other, shrugging.

Ironhide stopped when he and Chromia were beneath the shade of the command tower. He kept his back to her for a while, for some reason too anxious to face her. His spark pounded so hard it was painful, and he needed to shut his optics for a few seconds before he felt he was ready. However, when he opened them, he saw that she had moved around to stand in front of him, balancing expertly on her single wheel. He inhaled sharply. For some reason, he was even more nervous now that he was facing her. She noticed his distress and took his hand again, making his spark burn.

"What's wrong, 'Hide?" she asked, looking concernedly up at her friend. Ironhide met her gaze, and he felt his resolve solidify. It was time.

"Chromia," he said, his voice thick with emotion, "there's something…I have to tell you." She nodded, her concern becoming curiosity. He clasped her tiny hand in both of his large ones. "You and I…well, you've been my best friend for I don't even know how long, and I trust you with my life." She nodded, putting her other hand on top of his.

"Same with you," she said kindly. He nodded.

"But…you see, after we've been able to reconnect over these last two years, I've…been thinking…" Chromia made a concerned noise.

"You're nervous, I can tell," she said gently, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb. He met her optics. "You don' have to be nervous, Ironhide. You can tell me anything, right?" He nodded again, breathing in deeply through his nose.

"I know…and that's why I have to say this now." He gripped her hand firmly. "For a while, quite a while…I've seen you as more than just a friend or a partner." She tilted her head.

"How do you mean?" she asked. He sighed.

"I feel for you, more than I would a partner or a friend," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I feel…more for you than I do for anyone." He moved closer to her. Chromia's optics never left his.

"What…What are you saying?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. Ironhide inhaled deeply, and sighed.

"Chromia, when you died…I felt as though…I died, as well." He shook, as though caught in a cold breeze. "I've never felt such pain. I thought my spark had been extinguished, but my mind and body were still alive. I was dead, but I wasn't." Chromia inhaled sharply, and her optics suddenly began to shine.

"I'm….I…." she tried to reply, but she couldn't find words. Ironhide looked at her, for a long time. He couldn't find words either. He was trying to tell her his most important secret, but he just didn't know how. So, like many times before in combat, Ironhide decided action was a better answer to his problem. He extracted his left hand from under Chromia's, and placed it on her cheek plate. Chromia inhaled again, but said nothing. Ironhide leaned all the way down, and placed a gentle kiss on Chromia's delicate mouth. He held the kiss for as long as he could, then pulled away, but not before leaning his forehead against hers. He looked into her optics, and said, very quietly so only she could hear,

"I love you, Chromia; always have, always will." He stood back straight, squeezed her hand, and turned to leave. He didn't know why he had to leave, but for some reason he felt like he had overstepped a boundary, and if he didn't give her some space she would become angry. However, his retreat was quickly halted by the touch of a small hand on his wrist. He looked around over his shoulder. Chromia was staring up at him, her optics shining, energon tears silently sliding down her face. He furrowed his brow plates.

"What's wrong?" he asked. He turned the full way around and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry if I've hurt you," he said, and he truly meant it. "I had to tell you how I felt, and I meant every word. But I promise you; I don't want it ever to affect our friendship." Chromia nodded, and beckoned him to lean forward. He did so, not exactly sure what to expect. He was surprised to discover that Chromia's facial pates were not contracted in sorrow, but relaxed in what was clearly relief. She gazed at him, her optics combing every aspect of his face, then she placed a hand on his right cheek panel, just as he had done, and kissed him.

Ironhide's optics dilated to their widest possible level, and his spark erupted into what felt like erratic flames. Chromia was kissing him, on the mouth, on purpose. It wasn't just a peck either; it was a real kiss, her mouth parts rubbing gently against his. Ironhide didn't know what to do, so he just stood there, frozen by her kiss. When Chromia pulled away, her energon tears were still falling, but there was an adoring smile on her face.

"I've waited centuries for you to say those words," she said, her voice breaking. She caressed his cheek. "Ironhide, I love you so much it hurts; I always have, and I always will." He stared at her, his mouth open in shock.

"You….I…" For some reason he still couldn't find the words, nor could he seem to unbend himself. After a few seconds, though, he finally choked out, "What…did you say to me?" Chromia laughed and nuzzled his forehead with her own.

"I said I love you," she whispered. "I love you, Ironhide. I'll say it as many times as I have to to get it through your thick processor." He blinked, shook himself, and suddenly the realization of what she said hit him like a tone of boulders. Warm euphoria spread through him, starting at his spark and working its way to his fingertips and the edges of his feet. His shocked expression morphed into a grin, the widest grin to ever grace his face. Without warning her, Ironhide wrapped his arms around Chromia's waist columns and lifted her off the ground, making her gasp in surprise. He hefted her so that her chest rested on his and her face fell inches from his, slightly above it. Her surprise was mixed with glee.

"You wait all these cycles to tell me this," Ironhide growled happily, "and you make me say it first? You tricky fragging femme you." She raised a brow plating at him.

"Oh, don't act like you didn't want to say it first," she said teasingly. He smiled, and reached up to cup the back of her head in his wide palm. She gladly responded to his touch, leaning forward into the kiss and wrapping her arms around his head.

The other Autobots on the flight deck gradually noticed Ironhide and Chromia, locked together in a passionate, loving kiss. The Twins whistled and cat-called, Ratchet and Sideswipe laughed, Jolt and Flareup commented on how long it had taken the two of them to get their acts together and confess their feelings. Arcee smiled warmly and put her hand over her spark in affection for her sister and friend. Bumblebee watched her longingly, moving his optics between her to the sight of his mentor finally connecting with the one he loved. He wished he could be as brave as Ironhide and admit his feelings to Arcee, but he felt it was just too soon. So he watched Ironhide and Chromia, warmth spreading through his spark. At the bow, Sam and Optimus looked back at what all the noise was about, and caught sight of the two kissing Autobots. Sam let out a surprise laugh.

"Wow," he said, glancing back up at the Autobot leader. "Are they doing what I think they're doing?" Optimus smiled, and a deep, rumbling chuckle sounded from his chest.

"Yes," he said gladly, "and it's about time they did."

Ironhide reluctantly pulled out of the kiss, gazing contentedly at Chromia. She smiled and caressed his cheek panel.

"Bond with me?" he asked her quietly. Her smile widened and she laid her forehead against his, breathing in his scent.

"I thought you'd never ask," she sighed. He laughed and spun around in a circle, spurring a delighted giggle from her. The two of them gazed deeply into each other's optics, and dipped their faces in to kiss again, mouths parting slightly so their speech gears could brush each other sensually.


End file.
